Cloud Computing FAQ

Cloud computing is the buzz term of the IT industry at the moment. But do you know what it means and how your business could benefit from using it?

What is cloud computing?

There are many different forms and definitions of cloud computing. In simple terms it is a model of computing which means all of your software and data are housed offsite in a data centre which you can connect to with any device connected to the internet.

What are the benefits of cloud computing from Netstar?

You don’t need any in-house servers or data storage equipment – all your data and programs are housed in the cloud.

You no longer need powerful PCs or large hard drives. All the processing happens in the data centre, and all of your files are stored there too.

You pay a fixed monthly cost, which is much easier for small businesses to handle than large investments in equipment such as servers.

Having this equipment off-site frees up space in your office and reduces your business’ carbon footprint.

You can work as if you are in the office from anywhere you have a device and access to the internet.

Secure storage holds all of your company’s documents and data making it easily accessible to authorised users. All of the software you need – such as Microsoft Office including Word, Excel and PowerPoint and Outlook runs from the data centre – so you can use these programs even if you don’t have the software installed on your PC.

All-inclusive support. Whether you need onsite support or remote assistance to help with your requests, our 24/7 IT support is included.

Click the button on the right to download our case study on financial services company Baronsmead, who utilised our cloud computing system to increase productivity of staff.

“With Netstar we are experiencing the benefits of a fast, reliable cloud based IT infrastructure, with flexibility to rapidly scale the system to meet our needs when required.”Robert Kelly, Senior Partner, Baronsmead

Having to connect to an external location sounds like it could be really slow…

We can provide you with extremely fast upload and download speeds. Our data centre is an ideal communications hub, benefiting from direct connections to all major telecommunications and data networks.

You’ll notice a lot of your everyday tasks, such as booting up, or carrying out lots of calculations in excel will also be much faster. This is because there will be very little stored on your device and all of the actual processing will be carried out in the data centre which benefits from the fastest and most powerful equipment.

Just how fast is everything going to run if I have to connect to my systems over the internet?

Very fast. A leased line provides you with your own private internet connection, giving you the fastest upload and download speeds. You’ll notice an increase in the speed of every day tasks as you’ll benefit from the data centre’s super powerful hardware and connections to every major telecommunications network.

What happens if the data centre’s hardware supporting my business fails?

Your business will run off of advanced data centre hardware so you will experience fast speeds and high reliability. In the event of hardware failure, your systems will default to a backup system – so you won’t be affected. Failure rate is minuscule thanks to the specification of the equipment and ideal environment.

What if the data centre experiences a power cut?

The chances of this happening are minimal – much smaller than your office experiencing a power cut. The data centre generates its own power and has 5 back-up power generators that can start in under a minute, with enough emergency fuel held in reserve to run for 24 hours.

What about disasters and security?

Data centres have a lot of precautions in place as they rely on their reputations for new business. The building is extremely secure with controlled access, pin card entry and biometric scanners. There is a state of the art early warning fire and smoke detector, and dry pipe sprinkler system. If there is a power cut, the data centre’s backup generators will start to provide continuous power for the entire facility.

How do I know my data will be secure?

Data centres survive on their reputation. The building is secured by pin card access, CCTV and security guards. To actually access the equipment you must be cleared by security, pass through biometric scanners and possess a unique key and combination for your locker.

What is Software as a Service (SaaS)?

With a cloud computing model, rather than buying and installing programs such as Microsoft Office on your local machines, you can rent this software for a small monthly fee, and it will run on the cloud servers. You still experience the software in the same way, but it will not actually be running on your machine. An added benefit of this is that you can log in and run your software on any computer, with no need for it to be installed on that device.

What applications can I run in the cloud?

You could run any application in the cloud, meaning you wouldn’t have to have it installed on your local machine.

Moving to the cloud makes your business more environmentally sustainable!

Talk to Us!

Learn how we can help your business become more efficient, secure and grow with our cutting edge technology solutions and IT support. Get your free consultation today with one of our London based experts.